Speculation is mounting that Wes Streeting is about to attempt a coup against Keir Starmer after several of his allies quit the government and called for the prime minister to resign. On Monday, Sir Keir said his party would “be better and do better” and described Labour’s local election results as “tough”, but pressure is intensifying for him to step down or set out a departure timeline.
Leadership Bid Expected on Tuesday
Mr Streeting’s camp remained silent, but Labour sources told The Independent that the health secretary is now expected to launch a leadership bid on Tuesday. This comes as more than 60 MPs from different wings of the party are calling for a change of leadership. Among them was Mr Streeting’s parliamentary private secretary Joe Morris, who quit the government, while other allies Sally Jamieson and Tom Rutland also resigned from junior positions and called for Sir Keir to go.
The push against the embattled prime minister by Mr Streeting’s allies began at the weekend with former minister John Simons from the right of the party joining leftwingers in demanding Sir Keir set a timetable to end his premiership.
Starmer’s Speech Fails to Convince
The prime minister vowed not to walk away, but his speech on Monday did little to convince Labour MPs, more than 60 of whom have called for him to step aside. In his address, Starmer rolled up his sleeves and channeled his inner John Major, but critics remain unconvinced. Analysis suggests that the net is closing in on Sir Keir’s premiership, and time appears to be running out.
It is becoming clear that Labour MPs have lost confidence in his leadership and were not persuaded by his Monday morning speech. Now, Wes Streeting is about to launch a leadership bid, likely followed by Angela Rayner. The battle between left and right is about to break into a full civil war, with Sir Keir swept away.
Resignations and Calls for Change
Cabinet Office PPS Naushabah Khan resigned, calling for “new leadership, so that we can rebuild trust and deliver the better future that the British people voted for.” In a statement, she said: “The message from last week’s elections was clear: the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public.”
Joe Morris, in his resignation statement, wrote: “The message from last week’s elections was clear: the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public. ... It is now clear that the Prime Minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change. It is in the best interests of the country and the party that the Prime Minister sets out a swift timetable to ensure that a new leader is in place.”
Tom Rutland also resigned, stating: “It is with regret that I believe the Prime Minister should now set out a timetable for his departure and for a new leader to be chosen. ... It is clear to me that the Prime Minister has lost authority not just within the Parliamentary Labour Party but across the country and that he will not be able to regain it.”
Analysis: Starmer’s Last Chance
John Rentoul noted that the only thing that mattered about Starmer’s speech was to give the 81st Labour MP tempted to sign Catherine West’s nomination paper a reason to hold back. Having such a well-defined purpose meant it was a good speech by Keir Starmer’s standards, but the trouble is that too many of his MPs think he’s the problem, not the solution.
Ayesha Hazarika argued that sticking with Keir Starmer isn’t loyalty – it’s laziness. Changing a leader, especially in the Labour Party, is not easy and comes with great peril, but there is also a fatal cost to not doing anything.
With more than 60 MPs from all wings of the party now calling for a change of leadership, Sir Keir appears too weakened to hold off a challenge. The key moment might come at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning when ministers may tell him he has to go.
